Unlock Success: 21 Proven Depop Strategies for Maximizing Sales
Entering the World of Depop Sales
Diving into the world of Depop sales can be a fulfilling endeavor that brings in a decent income if approached with dedication.
With over 21 million users on Depop (Source: Wikipedia), there's a vast potential market. Surprisingly, though, many Depop sellers do not treat it as a genuine business opportunity. They often miss the chance to take their shop to the next level.
This article aims to be a comprehensive list of practical and actionable Depop tips to help you earn more money on Depop.
If you're a committed Depop seller, you'll find these strategies valuable for your business.
Here are 21 practical tips to enhance your Depop sales:
- Illuminate Your Photos
- Try On Your Items
- Share Multiple Photos per Item
- Capture Different Angles
- Maintain a Consistent Style
- Avoid Stock Photos
- Craft Comprehensive Descriptions with Relevant Keywords
- Leverage Five Relevant Hashtags for Each Item
- Utilize Description Templates
- Regularly Refresh Your Listings
- Refresh your outdated listings
- Consistently Add New Items
- Increase Your Followers on Depop
- Encourage Five-Star Reviews
- Include a Special Treat
- Promptly Respond to Inquiries
- Offer Discounts for Future Purchases
- Market Your Shop on Instagram
- Source High-Quality, Affordable Items
- Attain Depop Verified Seller Status
- Accept Payments In-App
Let's delve right in.
1. Illuminate Your Photos
Your product photos are the first impression your customers get, significantly influencing their decision to buy. Quality photos are crucial, so make sure to add ample lighting to your pictures.
Consider shooting your products near a window or glass door to capture soft, natural light, creating an ideal visual appeal. If your space lacks natural light, investing in a lighting kit may be worthwhile.
It's all about the windows and doors. Aim to take your photos near a window or glass door. In this case, you will get indirect natural light, which is ideal for your photos because the window (or glass door) acts like a huge softbox when light shines in.
Some recommended lighting kits used by top Depop sellers include ESDDI, HPUSN, and RALENO. If you plan on making Depop a long-term venture, investing in lighting equipment can significantly improve your photo quality.
Alternatively, you can take your photos outdoors to benefit from abundant natural light. Some Depop stores, like thankyoughost, femmevtg, and closetbymaura, showcase products photographed outdoors, offering valuable inspiration for your own outdoor shoots.
2. Try On Your Items
Whether it's clothing, shoes, accessories, or jewelry, giving your items a try-on is one of the best ways to showcase them. It provides potential buyers with a better sense of fit and appearance.
Model shots will make your item up to 60% more likely to sell.
While showing your face isn't necessary, it can establish a personal connection with buyers, potentially boosting sales.
Many successful Depop sellers incorporate their faces into their photos for this reason.
3. Share Multiple Photos per Item
Depop allows you to upload up to four photos for each item. Instead of posting just one or two, maximize your chances by sharing all four.
More photos convey more information about your items and help potential buyers understand what they're purchasing.
According to this Depop blog, posting up to four photos instead of one can increase your chances of selling by 20%.
4. Capture Different Angles
Vary your photo angles to provide a comprehensive view of your item's appearance, fit, and any tags or flaws. Consider these recommended combinations:
1.
- One model shot (try it on)
- Two flat lays (front and back views)
- One close-up (highlighting tags or flaws)
2.
- Two model shots
- One flat lay
- One close-up
3.
- One model shot
- One flat lay
- Two close-ups
Pro Tips:
- Remember, the first photo is the most important, so ensure it's the best of the four.
- Using at least one model shot is highly recommended, as it's a successful photography style on Depop.
5. Maintain a Consistent Style
Consistency is key to effective branding on Depop.
When taking photos, strive for consistent poses, backdrops, and lighting. This allows customers to recognize your shop's style easily, increasing brand recall.
Consider selecting a unique yet straightforward background or backdrop to make your items stand out from the competition. A distinctive visual style can make your listings more appealing in search results and other users' feeds.
6. Avoid Stock Photos
Using stock photos is against Depop's terms of use, which strictly prohibits this practice. Any reports of stock photo usage can result in Depop removing your item.
Therefore, always use your own creative ideas to capture your items in photos.
7. Craft Comprehensive Descriptions with Relevant Keywords
Product descriptions serve two purposes: providing detailed information to potential buyers and supplying keywords to the Depop search engine to enhance item discoverability.
Ensure your descriptions include the following:
- Brand and item name
- Style and color
- Measurements (e.g., chest, waist, length)
- Any flaws or unique features
Create engaging and personal descriptions to establish a connection with potential buyers.
Incorporate all relevant keywords in your descriptions to optimize search engine visibility. Use paragraphs or list them separately. However, ensure keywords are relevant to the item to prevent frustrating buyers and disputes.
8. Leverage Five Relevant Hashtags for Each Item
Depop allows up to five hashtags per item. Utilize all five to increase your chances of appearing in relevant search results.
These hashtags can also be used within the description for added visibility.
9. Utilize Description Templates
Consider using description templates, a common practice among top Depop sellers.
Templates save time and maintain consistency.
For instance, divide your description into four parts:
- A brief item description
- Item condition
- Item measurements
- Tags and keywords
Feel free to add other essential shop policies, like shipping details, to each product description. While some sellers use a separate "shop policies" listing, incorporating key policies in every description can be more effective since most buyers prefer convenience.
10. Regularly Refresh Your Listings
Refreshing your listings updates their timestamp to the current time, causing them to appear at the top of relevant searches. This practice increases your chances of attracting potential buyers looking for specific products.
Manually refreshing listings can be tedious, so consider using a Depop Bot for automation.
We recommend refreshing your listings at least once an hour, though daily is acceptable if you're busy. Scheduled refreshing through DepopAid can be a helpful option for efficiency.
11. Refresh your outdated listings
Refreshing a listing involves utilizing the item's metadata, including its photos, to generate a completely new listing while removing the old one. This action will result in the loss of previous likes and comments on the original item, but it's a strategy Depop employs to grant the newly created listing greater visibility within the platform. This, in turn, enhances the likelihood of successfully selling the item.
If an item remains unsold or receives minimal engagement after being listed for an extended period, we advise you to relist it using DepopAid. This can be accomplished with a single click.
Note: There is a distinction between relisting and refreshing. Relisting generates a new listing while removing the previous one. Conversely, refreshing updates an existing listing without altering its creation date.
12. Consistently Add New Items
Posting new items regularly keeps your shop visible in your followers' feeds.
Daily posts ensure your shop remains on potential buyers' radars.
Avoid uploading all your items at once; instead, stagger your postings to prevent overwhelming your followers. Posting one or two items daily is more effective than flooding feeds with numerous listings.
Remember, quality is preferable to quantity when catching potential buyers' attention.
13. Increase Your Followers on Depop
To boost your earnings on Depop, it's essential to grow your follower base.
A store with a substantial number of followers and positive reviews is more likely to attract buyers, as it conveys trustworthiness and popularity.
Check out our blog on how to rapidly gain Depop followers for a detailed guide. The key is simple: follow as many users as possible, and many will reciprocate.
We put this theory to the test with a fresh Depop account—no followers, no products. Using DepopAid, we mass-followed 7,501 users and left it alone.
A week later, 1,148 of those users had followed us back—an impressive 15.3% follow-back rate for a brand-new Depop account without any products!
We strongly recommend mass-following (up to 7,501) and mass-unfollowing (down to 0) at least once daily; you'll be amazed at how quickly your follower count grows!
14. Encourage Five-Star Reviews
Now, let's dive into the importance of reviews, as mentioned earlier:
People are more inclined to purchase from a store with a significant number of followers and POSITIVE REVIEWS, as it signifies customer satisfaction and trustworthiness.
Even Depop's official blog emphasizes:
Success on Depop revolves around three elements: making sales, EARNING GOOD REVIEWS, and building your brand.
Reviews carry more weight than you might think! So, how do you collect more five-star reviews?
Shoppers often prefer the path of least resistance. If you don't prompt them, they might not take the initiative either. Here are some strategies to secure those five-star reviews:
- Give the buyer a five-star review.
- Present your items thoughtfully.
- Add a delightful extra (personalized thank-you cards, charming stickers, etc.).
- Ship items promptly.
- Politely request a five-star review.
You can employ a template or a similar message for your review requests.
Usually, buyers will leave a favorable review after you've reciprocated or after they've received your beautifully packaged item with an added surprise. If they don't, a friendly and casual message asking for one can work.
Remember, be courteous, and don't pressure them!
15. Include a Special Treat
Who doesn't love surprises?
When customers open their package to find an unexpected treat, it enhances their shopping experience and perception of your store. This not only increases the likelihood of receiving a positive review but also encourages repeat business.
The nature of the surprise doesn't matter; it could be a cute sticker or a personalized thank-you card with your store's name. It not only delights your customers but also helps build your brand.
16. Promptly Respond to Inquiries
Rule number one: include all potential buyer inquiries in the product description to avoid repeated questions.
Nevertheless, some prospective buyers may still reach out directly, indicating their interest in your item. This is a positive sign, as they may be on the verge of making a purchase decision.
Timely and engaging responses can transform interested parties into happy customers who hit the "Buy Now" button. Conversely, delayed responses may lead them to purchase from a more responsive competitor.
While you don't need to be tethered to your device, endeavor to answer inquiries promptly when you're available.
17. Offer Discounts for Future Purchases
Acquiring customers is challenging, so once someone has made a purchase from your store, make an effort to bring them back. The most effective approach is offering a discount on their next order.
This tactic, widely used in various businesses, works because people tend to avoid perceived losses (see Loss aversion). By offering customers coupons, they view them as something they already own. If they don't use them, they lose out, motivating them to return and make another purchase.
A reasonable discount, such as 10%, can be effective. If your profit margin is limited, consider raising the item's price by 10% or 20% before listing it.
18. Market Your Shop on Instagram
While you can promote your shop or products on various platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, Instagram stands out as the most effective choice.
Instagram is user-friendly, highly visual, and boasts high engagement rates—perfect for showcasing your store and products.
Many people don't regularly check their Depop feed; some only open the Depop app when ready to make a purchase. In contrast, Instagram sees frequent use. This is why sharing photos, videos of your products, and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram is crucial. It's an excellent way to capture the attention and trust of potential buyers!
19. Source High-Quality, Affordable Items
Whether you're a full-time Depop seller or a dedicated one, your shop needs a diverse range of items, not just what's in your closet.
You can source items from regular Goodwill stores or Goodwill bins, where you often find quality items at low prices. If Goodwill isn't available, explore local charity shops or thrift stores; they offer a variety of clothing at reasonable prices.
While these are great starting points, as your store grows and you sell more daily, you may need a more efficient sourcing method.
Platforms like Poshmark, Mercari, Etsy, or eBay are similar to Depop. You can purchase undervalued items on these platforms and sell them at higher prices on Depop.
Another pro tip is buying in bulk (100-200 items) from AliExpress, particularly for low-cost items like earrings or necklaces. Reselling these items individually on Depop can yield profits. For those willing to invest more effort, consider buying jewelry components (beads, pins, jump rings, chains, pendants, etc.) from AliExpress and crafting your own unique jewelry. Handmade jewelry often commands higher prices, increasing your profitability.
20. Attain Depop Verified Seller Status
Depop verified sellers are the cream of the crop, enjoying additional benefits that enhance their selling success.
Advantages of Depop Verified Sellers:
- Blue checkmark status, signifying a trusted seller.
- Prioritized visibility in Explore content and Meet Sellers features within the app.
- Access to expedited support from Depop's community support team.
The most significant benefit of being a Depop verified seller is the blue checkmark. When customers see this mark next to a profile picture, they know they're dealing with a top-rated, trusted store, greatly boosting the likelihood of a sale.
How to Become a Verified Seller:
- Maintain an average rating of at least 4.5 stars.
- Meet one of the following sales criteria over four months:
- Sell 50+ items at an average price of £15+ (~USD$20) each month.
- Generate sales worth £2000+ (~USD$2600+) over four months.
Becoming a Depop verified seller isn't overly challenging. Investing the effort to obtain that blue checkmark is undoubtedly worthwhile.
Learn more in this article: How to Become a Top Seller on Depop
21. Accept Payments In-App
Conducting transactions outside of Depop goes against Depop's Terms and Conditions. If Depop discovers such activities, your account may be banned—a situation you definitely want to avoid. In-app payments also enable you to build your reputation and brand on Depop, which benefits your store significantly.
Now It's Your Turn
Thank you for reading! We hope you found value in this article.
We understand that there's a lot to absorb, but you can start by implementing one or two of these strategies. Success as a seller on Depop won't happen overnight, but with daily efforts to professionalize your store, you'll achieve new heights and increase your earnings. We genuinely hope that selling on Depop can become your full-time business, leading to more sales and greater success.
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